Isabel From Space

The outer bands of Hurricane Isabel can be seen coming ashore in this radar image from the National Weather Service's Doppler radar in Moorehead City, N.C. taken at 2:33 a.m. EDT Sept. 18, 2003.

Hurricane Isabel is shown off the East Coast of the U.S. in this satellite image taken Sept. 17, 2003, at 5:15 p.m. EDT.

Hurricane Isabel is shown off the East coast of the U.S. in this satellite image taken Sept. 17, 2003, at 9:15 a.m. EDT. Isabel was a strong Category 2 storm, with sustained wind near 110 mph and higher gusts.

The NOAA satellite picture taken at 5 a.m. EDT Sept. 17, 2003, shows Hurricane Isabel off the southeast coast. Isabel was about 400 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C.

Hurricane Isabel is shown bearing down on North Carolina and Virginia in this NASA satellite image taken at 1:40 pm EDT, Sept. 16, 2003.

Hurricane Isabel is shown in this NOAA satellite image taken on Sept. 16, 2003, at 10:15 a.m. EDT. More than 75,000 people were urged to evacuate the North Carolina coast as Hurricane Isabel weakened but remained a dangerous storm on a track toward land.

Hurricane Isabel is shown in this satellite image taken at 12:40 p.m. EDT, Sept. 15, 2003.

Hurricane Isabel is shown in this NOAA satellite image taken on Sept. 15, 2003, at 3:15 p.m. EDT.

A close-up view of the eye of Hurricane Isabel is shown in this image from television taken from the international space station as it orbits over the storm Sept. 15, 2003.

Hurricane Isabel is shown in this image from television taken from the international space station as it orbits over the storm Sept. 15, 2003.

Hurricane Isabel is seen east of the Bahamas in this NASA satellite image taken on Sept. 15, 2003.

Hurricane Isabel over Atlantic Ocean, NOAA satellite photo, Sept. 14, 2003.

Hurricane Isabel is seen in this NOAA satellite image taken on Sept. 9, 2003 at 7:45 EDT.

NOAA satellite image taken at 11:15 a.m. EDT Sept. 8, 2003 showing, the remains of Tropical Storm Henri, lower left, and Hurricane Fabian, center, and Hurricane Isabel.